Authentic stories from physical therapists navigating challenges, making pivotal decisions, and discovering their purpose. Whether you're a student, recent graduate, or considering a career change, these conversations will inspire you to explore possibilities within our PT community. Join us as we explore the diverse paths of physical therapy – one story at a time.
Publisher
UCSF Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
A fascination with movement first drew UCSF/SFSU Graduate Program in Physical Therapy Alum Laura Keyser, DPT, MPH, from the ballet studio to physical therapy. Her career has since taken her from building rehabilitation programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to earning an MPH at Johns Hopkins, advancing women’s health, conducting research, and developing a device to address pelvic health challenges in women. In this episode of PT Path, Laura talks with Amber Fitzsimmons about the une...
7 Jul 2026
Tanya Goodrich: Pelvic Health Pioneer
In this episode of PT Path, Amber Fitzsimmons talks with Tanya Goodrich, PT, DPT, founder of Healthy Pelvis Physical Therapy and one of the nation's leading voices in pelvic health physical therapy. Recently named a 2026–2027 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow, Tanya joins an extraordinary cohort of women entrepreneurs recognized for their vision, leadership, and commitment to building businesses with purpose. She was also featured as an Architect of Change in Maria Shriver's The Sunday Paper for h...
22 Jun 2026
Jonathan Ide-Don: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Exploration
When Jonathan Ide-Don was a student in the UCSF/SFSU Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, he had a singular goal: to become the best orthopedic and sports physical therapist he could be. After graduating, he completed the Kaiser Hayward mentorship and fellowship programs, gaining intensive clinical training and mentorship early in his career. He then practiced at CPMC while also becoming involved in the CrossFit community as a coach. What began as a side interest evolved into a broader explo...
22 Apr 2026
Beth Popolizio: Forging a New Path in Neuro PT
Beth Popolizio: Forging a New Path in Neuro PT Amber Fitzsimmons interviews Beth Popolizio, a 2014 program graduate, about her path into physical therapy and entrepreneurship. After starting her career in hospitality, Beth sought a more meaningful, expertise-driven profession and entered PT school. She went on to complete a PNF residency at Kaiser Vallejo, which she credits with strengthening her clinical reasoning and shaping her approach to care. Throughout her career, Beth explored multipl...
20 Mar 2026
Emily Gee: A Dream Career with Performing Artists
Welcome to Season 2 of PT Path! In this episode, host Amber Fitzsimmons speaks with alum Emily Gee about her journey from cellist to physical therapist to Assistant Professor and Director of Musician Wellness at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Emily shares how her own rehab experience shaped her passion for helping performing artists, and how she now blends education, injury prevention, mental health, and wellness support for musicians in a truly unique academic role. Her story dem...
10 Dec 2025
Benjamin Boyd: Pain Science and Career Pivots
Benjamin Boyd has always been fascinated by how the human body works, the interplay of muscles, movement and skeletal structure. With a father who was a pediatric physiatrist, he was exposed to health care early on. After a foray into environmental studies, he eventually discovered physical therapy, where he became especially captivated by the nature of pain and its deep connection to the human experience. In a bold career pivot, Ben stepped away from his faculty role at Samuel Merritt Univer...
18 Nov 2025
Brent Anderson: Polestar Pilates
We all know the celebrities who helped popularize Pilates into the global phenomenon it is today. But this latest guest, UCSF alum Brent Anderson, PT, PhD, also played a pivotal role in shaping that rise. His company, Polestar Pilates, founded in 1992, now has a global presence with education centers and certified instructors in more than 50 countries. Brent entered the scene when most people had barely heard of Pilates, let alone imagined what it could become. In this episode, you’ll hear ab...
9 Oct 2025
Madeline Ratoza: The Academia Path
For Madeline Ratoza, PT, DPT, PhD, a career in academia was always a long-term goal fueled by a passion for learning and a deep-seated curiosity about how systems shape care. In this episode of PT Path, host Amber Fitzsimmons talks with Dr. Ratoza about her journey from the clinic to the classroom and how her research at the intersection of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and social determinants of health is helping us understand where and how care is delivered, and what that means for t...
17 Sept 2025
Tiffany Schubert: Innovating for Aging Adults and the Professor Path
Tiffany Schubert hadn’t planned on becoming a physical therapist and she didn’t expect to specialize in geriatrics. Yet her career has spanned remarkable paths: from PT at Kaiser, to research scientist leading CDC projects with national impact, to product manager bringing evidence-based exercise programs to older adults through tech. Most recently, she’s embraced a new role as Visiting Professor at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Through each pivot, Tiffany has shown how ada...
2 Sept 2025
Raad Shebib: The Multi-Hyphenate Health Tech Leader
In this episode, we sit down with Raad Shebib, PT, DPT, whose career path has taken him from patient care to the cutting edge of health technology. Today, as a product leader at Prompt Health, Raad is on a mission to transform electronic health records and reimagine how technology can serve clinicians and patients alike. A self-described multi-hyphenate, Raad has drawn from his diverse experiences to become highly adaptable—an asset he considers one of the most important drivers of his career...
7 Aug 2025
Claudia Canales: Tech, Access, and Breaking Barriers
In this episode, host Amber Fitzsimmons interviews Claudia Canales, a 2019 graduate of the UCSF/SFSU Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, who transitioned from traditional clinical care to a leadership role in digital health. The first in her family to attend college, Claudia shares how formative experiences as a patient and a deep commitment to underserved communities shaped her path. After starting her career in clinical care, she joined Hinge Health, an innovative virtual musculoskeletal ...
23 Jul 2025
Pam Butterfield: Peace Corps, Ergonomics and Finding Purpose
From the Peace Corps to prevention-focused care, Pam Butterfield has built a career around service, adaptability, and lifelong learning. In this episode of PT Path, she joins host Amber Fitzsimmons to reflect on her diverse background in health and wellness, integrative medicine, and healthcare ergonomics. Pam shares impactful experiences from acute rehab to her transformative time in the Peace Corps, her passion for yoga therapy, and her pivot into ergonomics. Deeply committed to serving und...
14 Jul 2025
Steven Hartley: From Clinic to Consulting
When Steven Hartley graduated from the UCSF/SFSU Graduate Program in Physical Therapy in 2017, he was certain he wanted to be a sports or ortho PT. But after landing a job that looked ideal on paper, he quickly found himself facing burnout. That experience led him to pivot into a leadership role at a skilled nursing facility and discovering a love of geriatrics. Wanting to further expand his impact, Steven earned an MBA and transitioned into healthcare consulting. For the past several years, ...
27 Jun 2025
Alyssa Herrera-Set: Starting Small, Thinking Big, and Redefining PT Entrepreneurship
Alyssa Herrera-Set, PT, DPT, recounts her transition from advertising to physical therapy entrepreneurship, detailing the founding of On the Move Physical Therapy and Pilates and her work with young athletes in this interview.
11 Jun 2025
Cory Arth: PT Without Borders
Cory Arth shares his unconventional path in movement-based medicine, discussing his work with elite athletes worldwide and his impact on health and fitness in Shanghai in this interview.
28 May 2025
Tianna Meriage-Reiter: From Private Practice to Prison PT
Amber Fitzsimmons interviews Tianna Meriage-Reiter about her unique career shift from private practice integrating yoga therapy to providing physical therapy at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
12 May 2025
Patrick Sullivan – Embedded Air Force PT
Patrick Sullivan recounts his path from UCSF/SFSU physical therapy graduate to active duty Air Force physical therapist, highlighting the impact of mentorship and diverse clinical experiences in this interview.
Who has been a guest on PT Path
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Alyssa Herrera-Set
Cory Arth
Tianna Meriage-Reiter
Patrick Sullivan
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 11 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
9
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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